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CO2 Transport

The document details the transport of carbon dioxide (CO2) from tissues to the lungs, highlighting the pressure differences that facilitate diffusion at various points. It explains the three forms of CO2 transport in blood: as bicarbonate (70%), in combination with hemoglobin (23%), and in a dissolved state (7%). Additionally, it discusses the chloride shift and the Haldane effect, which enhance CO2 transport efficiency, and introduces the respiratory exchange ratio, which measures CO2 output relative to O2 uptake.

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Shruti Pal
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9 views6 pages

CO2 Transport

The document details the transport of carbon dioxide (CO2) from tissues to the lungs, highlighting the pressure differences that facilitate diffusion at various points. It explains the three forms of CO2 transport in blood: as bicarbonate (70%), in combination with hemoglobin (23%), and in a dissolved state (7%). Additionally, it discusses the chloride shift and the Haldane effect, which enhance CO2 transport efficiency, and introduces the respiratory exchange ratio, which measures CO2 output relative to O2 uptake.

Uploaded by

Shruti Pal
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CO2 Transport

PCO2 at different points


PCO2 inside cell = 46 mmHg
PCO2 in interstitial space = 45 mmHg
PCO2 in tissue capillaries at arterial end = 40 mmHg
PCO2 in tissue capillaries at venous end = 45mmHg
PCO2 in pulmonary capillaries at arterial end = 45mmHg
PCO2 in pulmonary capillaries at venous end = 40mmHg
PCO2 in lung alveoli = 40 mmHg
Transport of carbon dioxide from tissue to the lungs:

1) Diffusion of CO2 from cell into interstitial space:


PCO2 inside cell = 46 mmHg
PCO2 in interstitial space = 45 mmHg

Pressure difference (46-45) = 1 mmHg.

This 1 mmHg pressure difference causes diffusion of CO2 from


cell into interstitial space.

2) Diffusion of CO2 from interstitial space to tissue capillaries:


PCO2 in interstitial space = 45mmHg
PCO2 in tissue capillaries at arterial end = 40 mmHg

Pressure difference (45-40) = 5 mmHg.

This 5 mmHg pressure difference causes diffusion of CO2 from


interstitial space to arterial end of tissue capillaries.

3) Transport of carbon dioxide in blood: In blood, CO2 is


transported in three forms.

• In the form of HCO3- 70%


• In combination with hemoglobin & plasma protein- 23%
(carbaminohemoglobin)
• In dissolved state- 7%
(a)In the form of HCO3- : The dissolved carbon dioxide in the blood
reacts with water catalyzes by carbonic anhydrase to form carbonic
acid, which in turn dissociates into hydrogen and bicarbonate ions.
Most of the H+ ions then combine with the hemoglobin in the red blood
cells.

HCO3- ions diffuse from the red cells into the plasma, while chloride
ions diffuse into the red cells by bicarbonate-chloride carrier protein in
the red cell membrane (chloride shift).

(b)Transport of CO2 in combination with hemoglobin and plasma


proteins-Carbaminohemoglobin: CO2 reacts directly with amine
radicals of the hemoglobin molecule to form the compound
carbaminohemoglobin (CO2Hgb). This combination of CO2 and
hemoglobin is a reversible reaction that occurs with a loose bond. So,
CO2 is easily released into the alveoli.
A small amount of CO2 also reacts in the same way with the plasma
proteins in the tissue capillaries.

(c)In Dissolved state: A small portion of the carbon dioxide is


transported in the dissolved state to the lungs.

• The amount of carbon dioxide dissolved in the fluid of the blood


at 45 mm Hg is about 2.7 ml/dl (2.7 volumes percent).
• The amount dissolved at 40 mm Hg is about 2.4 milliliters.
• There is a difference of 0.3 milliliter.

Therefore, only about 0.3 milliliter of carbon dioxide is transported


in the dissolved form by each 100 milliliters of blood flow. This is
about 7 percent of all the carbon dioxide normally transported.

4) Diffusion of CO2 from blood into alveoli of lungs:


PCO2 in pulmonary capillaries at arterial end = 45mmHg
PCO2 in lung alveoli = 40 mmHg

Pressure difference (45-40) = 5 mmHg.

This 5 mmHg pressure difference causes diffusion of CO2 from


blood into alveoli of lungs.

(There is one major difference between diffusion of carbon dioxide and of


oxygen: carbon dioxide can diffuse about 20 times as rapidly as oxygen.

Under normal resting conditions, an average of 4 milliliters of carbon dioxide


is transported from the tissues to the lungs in each 100 milliliters of blood.)
Chloride shift
HCO3− is formed in red blood cells & it diffuses into the plasma, while
chloride ions diffuse into the red blood cells. This diffusion occurs by
bicarbonate-chloride carrier protein in the red blood cell membrane
that shuttles these two ions in opposite directions at rapid velocities.
Thus, the chloride content of venous red blood cells is greater than that
of arterial red blood cells, a phenomenon called the chloride shift.

Importance:

Because there is a rise in the HCO3− content of red cells compared to


that in plasma, the excess HCO3− leaves the red cells in exchange for Cl–
by chloride shift.
THE HALDANE EFFECT:

Binding of O2 with hemoglobin tends to displace CO2 from the blood


called the Haldane effect.
It helps in CO2 transport.

Mechanism:
It occurs because the combination of O2 with hemoglobin in the lungs
causes the hemoglobin to become a stronger acid.

This displaces CO2 from the blood and into the alveoli in two ways:
• The more highly acidic hemoglobin has less tendency to combine
with CO2 to form carbaminohemoglobin, thus displacing much of
the CO2 that is present in the carbamino form from the blood.
• The increased acidity of the hemoglobin causes it to release an
excess of hydrogen ions, and these ions bind with bicarbonate
ions to form carbonic acid, which then dissociates into water and
CO2, and the CO2 is released from the blood into the alveoli and,
finally, into the air.

RESPIRATORY EXCHANGE RATIO/ RESPIRATORY QUOTIENT:


The ratio of CO2 output to O2 uptake is called the respiratory exchange
ratio.
That is, R =Rate of carbon dioxide output
Rate of oxygen uptake
When a person is taking exclusively carbohydrate, R=1.00.
When a person is using exclusively fat, R= 0.7.
For a person on a normal diet consuming average amounts of
carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, the average value for R is 0.825.

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